The Thief's Apprentice
by SilenceHawke
Summary: The King of Attolia needs a thief in his service. And who better to train this thief than the renowned Queen's Thief himself? Of course, how does one learn without experience? Just don't get caught. set during The King of Attolia, T to be safe, R
1. Chapter 1

((***Alright, I don't think this story is going to be finished. –gasp!- I know some people liked it, but I have too many plot bunnies running around right now. And, in truth, this was one of them. I have no clue where this is going. Because it's just the same story through a different perspective, I don't see much point in finishing it up...***))

((Okay, bear in mind this is my first Fan-Fic, so it may be terrible. And also, please remember that I do not own any of these characters besides Terria, who is completely and utterly mine. Nor do I own some of the dialogue in here, if it's straight from the book and Megan Whalen Turner's property, it will be italicized. R & R))

I was there when Eugenides saved Costis' life, the poor sot. He and I, as well as the rest of Attolia, shall never understand why the King and Queen became, well, the King and Queen. Unfortunately, I wasn't there when Costis got the nerve to clock Eugenides, though I'm sure it was quite entertaining. No, but I remember the miserable look Costis wore on his face that whole time. I'd hate myself too, if I were in his spot. But, I'm not, so I can laugh.

Costis just stood there, staring at Eugenides, like he had no clue that this new king could find him. Or maybe he didn't know that he had hit him quite so hard. I slipped into the room behind Eugenides as he entered, sad Costis probably didn't even notice me. That's how people get hurt. They're unobservant. And they see what they want to see, or what they want to believe. I couldn't help but grin as Costis watched the King's little trick with the cups and jug. If only he knew how long Eugenides would practice that during courts. I barely listened to Costis' pitiful attempts at apologizing until the King made a comment that I knew hit home.

"_Don't usually attack cripples?"_

I jerked my head up, seeing Costis' shame clearly written all over his face. Well, he did hate Eugenides, most people did. If he wasn't king, Costis wouldn't have been punished for it. It's this thing people like to call social stature or hierarchy. Everything depends on your rank in life. I think it's stupid. Oh, well, my opinion doesn't matter much.

Eugenides quietly told Costis to sit down on his cot, and he began to pour wine. Costis took a sip and seemed surprised. He probably hadn't drunk anything like it before. It wasn't watered; he should have known how well it would loosen his tongue. Gods, Eugenides even warned him!

"_Have you eaten today?"_

Costis shook his head.

The King made a small gesture with his hooked hand. He meant for me to go get food for this miserable fellow who had gotten drunk and is about to get drunk again. I gave him a disgusted look as I moved from the room, Eugenides smiled slightly. Of course he would enjoy my dislike of the task he gave me. Of course he would. Down the hall stood a squad of soldiers lead by, I know, Costis' friend. And with them, was the Queen. I told one of the guards that the King had ordered for some food to be brought, however, no one moved to get any. I sighed and bowed to the Queen. Attolia stood regally, she was one accustomed to power. I will never understand what made her fall in love with the Thief of Eddis. She did cut off his hand, after all.

"I see Eugenides has gone running off without his guard with him, Terria." It wasn't spoken like a question, more like a command. I shrugged anyway. The guards jumped as the King yelled from Costis' room. I didn't turn away from the Queen's face.

"I'm sure that the King can take care of himself, Your Majesty."

She frowned slightly at this. "Nevertheless, he should have taken a guard with him."

"Ah, but he was with me, Your Majesty."

I saw the ghost of a smile on her lips, and a want to laugh. I sighed again.

"Your Majesty, I'm afraid I could have a knife at your throat in a moment. And, there's nothing these poor fellows could about it until you lay bleeding to death on the ground." The unspoken words "I am a thief's apprentice after all," must have been evident. But since it wasn't exactly legal to train someone for thievery, only the King and Queen knew about it. There were rumors of course, and a few other choice people knew. Otherwise, I was a messenger. With the King at all times, so he could send messages through the palace easily. If I wasn't present, people assumed I was with a message.

I noticed the guards glared at me after this statement, after all to them I was a courier. The Queen also looked a bit disgruntled by this description of my ability. "I would demonstrate for you, but I'm afraid I'm in a hurry, and also, I have the feeling you will be needed in there in a matter of minutes." I continued on as I said this, but I noticed one of the guards followed me, at the Queen's command, no doubt. She didn't trust me, but I didn't blame her for it.

"Good to have company for a change," I said to the guard quietly. "but, really, I don't need an escort."

The guard merely looked at me.

I shrugged and continued. "Ah, well, your choice."

I fell asleep in one of my 'hide-outs,' that I had found all around the castle. Passageways people had forgotten about, and nooks and crannies that few would notice. I had wanted to go watch the men in the training ground, but after the ordeals of today, my presence would not have been good for the guards there. That is, if they even saw me. I fell asleep wondering if Eugenides would hang the poor sot, or if the king would manage to hang Teleus as well.

I was awakened by a hard kick in the stomach. I doubled over, still slightly recovering from slumber. But, I was able to shakily retrieve the dagger from the inside of my boot. I held it out, bracing myself, watching the looming figure standing over me.

"Very good, but if I had meant to kill you, you'd be dead by now. This means you probably should have been awake long before I kicked you."

"Ah, thank you, o great and mighty Eugenides for that piece of insight." I said, sitting up and placing my dagger in its rightful place. "Unfortunately, I would have heard anyone else but you coming. It's your boots that are so damned soft." I winced, turning a certain way made my side hurt. His damned boot is going to have left a bruise.

"But I see that my damned boots are still hard enough to leave injury?"

"Oh, gods, don't grin like that, you bastard."

"I could hang you for that, you know."

"I do really hope your enjoying this, but why did you wake me so unpleasantly?"

"I need you to do something for me."


	2. Chapter 2

(So, I'm trying to continue...but it won't be very consistent...So.)

They stood there all day! It was terribly boring, watching those soldiers, but Eugenides wanted me to watch for him. So I did. Teleus immediately stripped Costis of his position, and then told him that the King had allowed him to leave, to quit, the oaths he took would no longer be in effect.

_"Do you choose to go?"_ He asked, looking down on Costis, who jumped slightly. He was surprised.

I admit it. I didn't think he would stay, not after what happened yesterday. It was the soldier's unwritten code of honor, I suppose. He decided he would stay. Teleus then addressed the whole crowd of men, saying that anyone of them could leave. I don't understand it, the honor the soldier's think they have. They hate Eugenides, so why stay to serve him? He gave them time to consider whether they really wanted to stay or not. No one moved. Not a soul dared to move, all day. Many fell over from dehydration, but later they returned, and all of them stood there.

_"Long live the king!" _Teleus shouted, and the Guard answered him. They were dismissed. That was my queue for my report to the King. As I was slinking my way to the King's rooms, I noticed that a few men, Sejanus in particular, were giving Costis a hard time. Served him right, anyhow.

"Did anyone leave, Terria?"

I jumped, and found Eugenides standing just behind me "Damn!" I hissed. "No one left. Long live the king." I gave him a mocking salute.

Eugenides didn't seem surprised by this news. "Not Costis?"

"I said no one, didn't I?"

_"...You would have said no, and damn the consequences, because you have a sense of honor as wide as a river. I'm sorry, Costis, I guess I don't."_

It was a voice I didn't recognize. I glanced around a column and saw Costis, and some other guard. I shook my head and walked across the hall to lean against the wall. Costis snapped something about taking an oath and then knocking a man on his back. Remorse? I was surprised. Soldiers have no sense of emotion except their 'honor.' Which is probably the only thing Costis was worried about.

"_I think it's the right thing to do." _Costis told his friend softly. I rolled my eyes at Eugenides, who motioned for me, quite unnecessarily I might add, to be quiet. I glared at him and then at Costis. Hypocrite.

"_So, so, so , at least my honor will be intact."_

"_And that's very important." _Eugenides said from the top of the stairs, frightening the two soldiers below him. I shook my head, he always has to sneak up on people. His _majesty _is always reminding me, if you listen before you speak, you learn more. In this case, yes. But I'm always listening. Kind of.

The guards stood paralyzed for a moment. The guard I didn't know leapt into attention first, Costis was looking behind the king, until he saw me. I mocked his friend, standing in attention, and he followed suit. Sod. The king leaned down and whispered something to both of them, and then turned and 'disappeared.' Costis and the other guard wouldn't know how he did it. I did, though. The guards looked around in amazement. I sighed, and examined my fingernails.

"What are you doing here?" Costis asked as he turned back to me. I shook my head, and pretended to wipe something off my shirt. No respect, no respect.

"I came to warn you." I said finally.

"Of what?"

"Tomorrow." He stared at me in confusion. I sighed again. Idiots, all of them. "I have warned you. Don't say I didn't"


End file.
